Thread: John C. Cockhill came in

I've been having a bit of a thing for Sheffield wedges lately, just couldn't resist.

It's a 6/8 with a bit of a smile to the edge. The blade doesn't look too terrible, some small chips in the edge that should come out. The scales are a bit toasty - fed a lot of bugs. The show side has a small stamp near the center consisting of a W, then a partial triangle, possibly a D, and then another character I can't decipher. The back scale has a larger stamp towards the wedge end of W Y, possibly a bug chewed I, then 865. I haven't done an extensive search but found a bit of info on these razors here https://sharprazorpalace.com/razors/...-cockmill.html. I haven't been able to locate much about the scale stamps. They might be British military stamps indicating regiment and possibly dates I'll do some more searching. In the meantime if anyone has more info I'd like to find out more on where this razor may have been during it's life.

Hopefully, I can get this one back to working order with most of the original parts. I've seen some amazing saves on horn scales from SRP members, but I think these are a bit beyond me right now. So, new honey horn will be in the works (saving the old scales of course).

It should clean up just fine. Nice thin about an old wedge is that there is a lot of steel so getting to clean steel is typically possible and probable.

Nice find. The razor is British military issue prior to 1857 with the W broad arrow D marking signifying War Department .

Info from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_De...nited_Kingdom) .

Bob

Thanks for the start BobH. I've seen the W broad arrow D on Webley revolvers and Enfield rifles, don't know why I didn't think of it. It's usually followed by a number which is probably the last character I can't read.

Did a little digging today and found some good info. Not sure on the 1857 date (at least for the scales). What I thought might be an I after WY on the back side is probably a 1 making WY 1865. I found a web page with regiment markings for bayonets (not a razor, but probably similar marks?).

https://oldmilitarymarkings.com/brit...ml#regimentals

It indicates the WY stamp as a post 1881 mark for the Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire) regiment. The pre 1881 mark was 14th foot. I'm not sure if the 1865 after the WY is even a date. England is absent on the tang stamp, so pre 1890 for the blade. Maybe the razor was re-scaled between 1881 and 1890?....

Also found some interesting stuff about the West Yorkshire regiment. It can be traced back to 1685, changed forms/names through the centuries and still exists today.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince...t_of_Yorkshire
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Y...hire_Regiment)

These entries indicate the Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire) regiment existed between 1897 and 1934 and then changed to The West Yorkshire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Own) through 1958. So blade before 1890 and scales between 1897 and 1934? Or bayonet marks have nothing in common with razors and I'm wrong in every possible way.

Regardless, I've got a nice old British military razor I'm looking forward to shaving with.

Originally Posted by JellyJar

Thanks for the start BobH. I've seen the W broad arrow D on Webley revolvers and Enfield rifles, don't know why I didn't think of it. It's usually followed by a number which is probably the last character I can't read.

Did a little digging today and found some good info. Not sure on the 1857 date (at least for the scales). What I thought might be an I after WY on the back side is probably a 1 making WY 1865. I found a web page with regiment markings for bayonets (not a razor, but probably similar marks?).

You can disregard the 1857 date as I misread the info in the link I posted. This is another instance when I miss having Neil Miller around as he could very likely explain the other markings besides the W broad arrow D. I think you are probably right that the other marking indicates which regiment issued the razor. Have fun using it.

Bob

Saw he had passed in some posts I came across, seemed like a really knowledgeable fellow and good man. I'm glad some of his knowledge is still here helping people learn more about their razors. My condolences.

First I'll have fun bringing it back. Really enjoying getting these back in working condition. Much more challenging than other blade styles, more to learn and test my skills with.

Originally Posted by JellyJar

Saw he had passed in some posts I came across, seemed like a really knowledgeable fellow and good man. I'm glad some of his knowledge is still here helping people learn more about their razors. My condolences.

First I'll have fun bringing it back. Really enjoying getting these back in working condition. Much more challenging than other blade styles, more to learn and test my skills with.

Here's a link that's more detailed than you may have found:
https://sharprazorpalace.com/hall-re...iller-rip.html

How I miss it when someone would be trying to blow smoke up our arses OR were telling something that just wasn't true. He'd chime in with--RUBBISH!

My signature is what his wife wrote. You'll find it in the above link.

He was a damn fine man with knowledge that was almost more than an ordinary human could possess.

I'm fortunate to have one of the very last strops he made. It was delivered 2 weeks before his passing.